The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, relates to parasite destruction and, more particularly, but not exclusively, to a system and method for damaging parasites and optionally parasite eggs by ultrasound.
Parasitic sucking lice feed on the blood, serum or lymph of their hosts and cause irritation, pruritis and disease. Some species are vectors of serious diseases and all are generally undesirable. For example, the common human head louse, Pediculus capitis and the human pubic louse Phthirus pubis are blood sucking ectoparasites which cause pediculosis disease, producing hives like irritation and pruritis in infested subjects. The human body louse, Pediculus humanus corporis causes irritation and pruritis and is also a vector of typhus, which is a potentially lethal disease.
Head lice are a common problem, particularly among children and are highly 20 communicable. Head lice attach to hair, move to the scalp where they become resident and feed on the blood. Lice may pierce the skin and exude an antigenic salivary secretion which, with the piercing of the skin, creates a pruritic dermatitis.
The head lice lay eggs (also known as nits), which become attached to hairs close to the scalp by a drop of cement secreted by the female louse, which subsequently becomes hard. Female lice lay 50-150 eggs in their lives. Upon sufficient growth, the eggs hatch thereby increasing the numbers of lice on the scalp. If not treated, the amount of lice on the head of an individual may become substantial and pose a serious health risk.
Once a significant number of lice get a foothold in the scalp of a human, they are extremely difficult to eradicate. Heretofore, various attempts have been made to treat people with head lice. These include anti-lice substances and shampoos, and nonpharmacologic approaches including occlusion therapy, nit combing, and hair removal.
A device for mechanically removing and killing lice is marketed under the trade name Lice-Guard Robi® Comb (Epilady® 2000, L.L.C.). The device is a battery-powered electronic comb with oscillating tooth that electrocute lice.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,318,051 describes a fine tooth comb with an electric power source. The comb includes two sections formed of conductive sheet material which are insolated from each other by an insulating separator. The comb also includes two interleaved sets of teeth, each extending from one of the sections. An electric potential applied between adjacent teeth causes current to flow through an intervening nit.
U.S. Published Application No. 2002096125 describes a hair grooming comb, such as for pet, with ionizer for ionized air onto hair to be groomed and with an ultrasonic wave generator for generating ultrasonic waves onto hair in order to repel fleas. The used comb is a brush that goes thought the fur and does not create a closed acoustic filed, therefore the apparatus is only using for repealing fleas.
Chinese Patent No. 2843056 describes an ultrasonic insect-repelling massage comb, which comprises comb teeth, a comb handle and an outer shell. A pet vibration comb emit sound wave frequency, exceeds the hearing range of human and pet, for expelling fleas, louses, etc. As the person' skilled in the art will appreciate, if a teeth comb emits ultrasonic wave with no appropriate mediate, the ultrasonic wave will not be effective since ultrasound is poorly pass troughs air.
International Publication Nos. 2007/037143 and 2009/107034 describe an ultrasonic hair treatment device having clamps with a vibrator. Impregnation and infusion hair treatment agent is accelerated into the hair and distributed therein by ultrasonic vibration.
Additional background art includes Douglas L Miller, Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology (2007), 93 (1-3): 314-330; Child et al., 1980, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology, 6(2):127-130; Child et al., 1981, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology 7(2):167-173; Child et al., 1982, Pay et al., 1987, Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology 13(2):93-95. These publications describe various studies directed to investigate the effect of ultrasound on mammalian tissue and Drosophila melanogaster. 